Amateur film produced by Doug Collender showing a Royal Mail hot air balloon being inflated and flown from Durham racecourse. The film features television personality and naturalist David Bellamy who is being filmed with the balloon as part a new television programme. On Durham racecourse overlooked by Durham Cathedral a group of people set out a hot air balloon in readiness for flight. Three men hold open the bottom of the balloon allowing hot air to be pumped in, it begins to inflate. A...

Amateur film produced by Doug Collender showing a Royal Mail hot air balloon being inflated and flown from Durham racecourse. The film features television personality and naturalist David Bellamy who is being filmed with the balloon as part a new television programme. On Durham racecourse overlooked by Durham Cathedral a group of people set out a hot air balloon in readiness for flight. Three men hold open the bottom of the balloon allowing hot air to be pumped in, it begins to inflate. A crowd gather around the basket, a man takes photographs. The balloon made up of red and yellow striped fabric continues to inflate rising into the air, the registration number reads ‘G-NEP8’. David Bellamy walks past, a man uses a propane burner to continue to inflate the balloon. Ropes attached to the basket prevent it from flying off into the sky. The balloon now clearly emblazoned with the ‘Royal Mail’ logo rises into the sky watched by a small crowd before returning to the ground. A television video camera is recording the event. The basket lands and three men in red overalls pull on ropes keeping it in the ground as another man rushes over. On the ground David Bellamy speaks to the video camera while the balloon floats over him in the air. Again, the balloon begins to dissent landing near to David Bellamy. Just out of sight a television van is parked beside which cables lead out towards the filming location. A second van nearby is for the balloon. Back on the field David Bellamy is filmed rushing over to the basket, getting in and the balloon lifting off into the sky. The film ends with people watching as the balloon come back to the ground.